A second bacterial pathogen, Clostridium perfringens, has been identified as part of the large outbreak in Louisiana that has been linked to jambalaya served at a softball fundraising event. Salmonella had already been isolated, but Clostridium perfrigens has now also been identified in patient stool samples. As of Friday, 125 cases were confirmed with 37 hospitalized. One death may also be linked.
While Salmonella effects are due to the infection is causes, Clostridium perfringes produces a toxin that causes the symptoms of diarrhea and abdominal cramps. It usually occurs in less than a day and those symptoms will normally last for 24 hours.
The issues of contamination will also be different. Salmonella is not heat resistant, so either the foods are undercooked or it will contaminate foods after cooking through cross contamination. Clostridium perfringens is a sporeforming pathogen, and its spores are heat resistant and thus can survive normal cooking conditions such as when making jambalaya. The key to prevention is proper cooling after the product is cooked. Basically, the spores survive cooking, but need warmer conditions for growth. In fact, at optimal growth temperature of 109F to 117F, C. perfringens can multiple every 10 minutes or so.
So clearly, the were some issues when people were making jambalaya....and this can be the case when people are cooking large quantities of food. For Salmonella to be an issue, the cooks either undercooked it, or they had sloppy procedures that allowed cross contamination. For the second bacterial pathogen - after cooking (or under-cooking), they did not properly cool the food which provided conditions for C. perfrigens growth. By regulation, foods such as this must be cooled from 135F to 70F within 2 hours, and from 70F to 41F within 4 hours. These conditions were established for C. perfringens. And if large quantities were made, cooling can be difficult.
WWL TV.com
http://www.wwltv.com/news/not-just-salmonella-second-bacteria-idd-in-mass-north-louisiana-illness/485166123
Not just salmonella: Second bacteria ID'd in mass North Louisiana illness
WWLTV 10:45 AM. CDT October 22, 2017
A second bacteria contributed to the mass food poisoning in Caldwell Parish according to Dr. Parham Jaberi, assistant state health officer.
In addition to the salmonella already found in stool samples submitted to the state, Clostridium perfringens, a bacterium commonly found on raw meat and poultry, has been identified
"When we got the samples, we continued to test for toxins," Jaberi said. "These are organisms that, when they are ingested, they release a toxin that gets you sick. What that means is that people usually become sicker in fewer hours after eating foods."
Jaberi said information from the community related that many were sick within 12 hours of eating jambalaya prepared for a local softball fundraiser. A high majority of the people who ate the dish became ill.
As of Friday, 125 cases of a gastrointestinal illness were confirmed with 37 people hospitalized. The ages of those with a confirmed illness range from 15 to 72.
Clostridium perfringens produces a toxin that causes gastrointestinal illness and presents many of the same symptoms as salmonella.
"Usually these symptoms are more severe, which could explain why some of the people in the community are really going to the hospital," Jaberi said.
He said it also explains the fact that so many people who had the food became ill so quickly.
The Department of Health is continuing to test for the presence of additional organisms but does not anticipate any new findings.
Some of the ingredients in the jambalaya also are being tested individually. Jaberi said the processing of food particles will take longer, and he does not anticipate results being available until the middle of next week.
He said it is important for people to keep following safety guidelines, to dispose of any remaining jambalaya in their homes and to not consume the dish or any items that might have been in contact with it.
The sick should drink plenty of fluids to combat dehydration and visit their primary care doctor if symptoms persist for more than three days.
Over the weekend, residents should contact the department's after-hours number at 1-800-256-2748 with questions or concerns.
WWL TV.com
http://www.wwltv.com/news/not-just-salmonella-second-bacteria-idd-in-mass-north-louisiana-illness/485166123
Not just salmonella: Second bacteria ID'd in mass North Louisiana illness
WWLTV 10:45 AM. CDT October 22, 2017
A second bacteria contributed to the mass food poisoning in Caldwell Parish according to Dr. Parham Jaberi, assistant state health officer.
In addition to the salmonella already found in stool samples submitted to the state, Clostridium perfringens, a bacterium commonly found on raw meat and poultry, has been identified
"When we got the samples, we continued to test for toxins," Jaberi said. "These are organisms that, when they are ingested, they release a toxin that gets you sick. What that means is that people usually become sicker in fewer hours after eating foods."
Jaberi said information from the community related that many were sick within 12 hours of eating jambalaya prepared for a local softball fundraiser. A high majority of the people who ate the dish became ill.
As of Friday, 125 cases of a gastrointestinal illness were confirmed with 37 people hospitalized. The ages of those with a confirmed illness range from 15 to 72.
Clostridium perfringens produces a toxin that causes gastrointestinal illness and presents many of the same symptoms as salmonella.
"Usually these symptoms are more severe, which could explain why some of the people in the community are really going to the hospital," Jaberi said.
He said it also explains the fact that so many people who had the food became ill so quickly.
The Department of Health is continuing to test for the presence of additional organisms but does not anticipate any new findings.
Some of the ingredients in the jambalaya also are being tested individually. Jaberi said the processing of food particles will take longer, and he does not anticipate results being available until the middle of next week.
He said it is important for people to keep following safety guidelines, to dispose of any remaining jambalaya in their homes and to not consume the dish or any items that might have been in contact with it.
The sick should drink plenty of fluids to combat dehydration and visit their primary care doctor if symptoms persist for more than three days.
Over the weekend, residents should contact the department's after-hours number at 1-800-256-2748 with questions or concerns.
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